[Image: @Siviwe_G / X]
The basic education department has been criticised after introducing sponsorship-branded wheelie schoolbags called MiDesk that can convert into a makeshift desk.
This week, basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube, in partnership with fast-food giant McDonald’s, donated the desks to the Saint Paul’s Primary School in Cape Town. They are aimed at providing a solution for pupils facing infrastructure challenges.
The minister told the media, “This donation is a testament to how partnership and innovation can positively affect a child’s life.”
“Every child deserves a learning environment and appropriate infrastructure. Thank you to MiDesk for this solution and to McDonald’s for their continued support.”
But not everyone saw the positive side of this private/government partnership, and X was flooded with comments about the ‘naivety’ of the move, with some questioning if kids could even carry these massive transformer bags.
Quick to jump on the bandwagon was actress Florence Masebe, who questioned whether the donors would want their children to carry the bulky desks to school every day.
“Their own children can’t carry a simple non-orthopaedically designed backpack to school because it’s bad for the back. Yet they want to be applauded for making poor children carry a whole desk to school and to wash pads in the same river where they drink with livestock.”
Others questioned whether sponsorship from a junk food company is appropriate.
This leader is naive. Did she allow a junk food chain to use her to advertise their brand to children? What’s next? Coca-Cola and Cadbury? I’ve come to accept that South Africa is experiencing a lack of leadership, and none of these political parties have leaders who are smart. A…
— Corruption-Hater (@MadiBoity) February 25, 2025
Obviously putting capitalism first. Whose child is supposed to carry these heavy Jojo tanks? worse…this is lowkey promoting obesity (exposure of fast food restaurant to kids)
— Oracle (@Oracle5152) February 25, 2025
These ‘desks’ may not be the most ergonomically designed, but most of the comments seem ignorant and misguided, which could be avoided with a little further reading. According to the DBE, kids are not expected to drag the desks home and back, and the design does feature wheels, “ruggedized for rural terrains”.
The DBE has received donations from various partners of wheelie schoolbags, called MiDesk, that convert into a desk and a chair with a solar light and USB charging portal. Here are a few facts about them #EducationZA #PartnersInEducationZA pic.twitter.com/wUd3JTEvPy
— Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) February 26, 2025
Partnering with McDonald’s to equip children with tools to improve their educational experience should be welcomed in the absence of the government’s inability, or desire, to do anything. Taking a swipe at capitalism for getting a few extra learners off the classroom floor is petty.
Do some people really think this kid cares who donated his new schoolbag desk?
Perhaps Aveng or Murray & Roberts should step up and build proper toilets for underprivileged schools, or even better, why don’t the tweeting mob harass the government about allocating VIP budgets towards education.
One less bodyguard should pay for a flush toilet and a desk.
[Source: Timeslive]
